Summit SuperSeries World Champions Crowned at IHRA Summit World Finals

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Oct. 22, 2017) — Hundreds of International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Summit SuperSeries track champions, along with Summit Team Finals divisional champions from around the United States and Canada, gathered at Memphis International Raceway on Oct. 19-21 for the IHRA Summit World Finals.

Representing nearly 100 IHRA-sanctioned tracks, drivers traveled from all over North America, coming from as far north as Alaska and as far south as Florida, to the largest and most prestigious bracket racing championship in drag racing.

The IHRA Summit SuperSeries champions were crowned Saturday in Top (Box), Mod (No Box) and Junior Dragster. The $200,000 program is the championship competition for IHRA member Sportsman racers and more than 8,000 racers compete in the program annually.

Tom Gall from Beresford, S.D., won the Top World Championship. Chris Black from Butler, Pa., captured the Mod World Championship. Luke Schwemler from Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada won the Junior Dragster crown.

Gall, representing Thunder Valley Dragways, defeated Jerry Cotton from St. John, Ind., in the Top finals by just .0012 of a second. His final package was a 5.059-second run at 134.55 mph against a 5.04 dial-in.

His championship bounty included $20,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba, a world championship diamond ring, and a world championship Ironman Trophy.

“It’s the biggest opportunity. Summit does something that’s just unheard of,” said Gall, whose margin of victory was just .0012 of a second. “To race every weekend and then, you get a chance to do something like this, it just blows your mind. At the World Championship, to be that close, it’s how the final should be.”

Black, representing Quaker City Motorsports Park, had a 6.431-second pass at 100.73 mph against a 6.30 dial-in to claim the Mod World Championship. The final was closely contested as runner-up Travis Loy from Harriman, Tenn., had a slightly quicker, .026 to .028, reaction time.

Black also won $20,000 from Summit Racing Equipment, a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two on the island of Aruba, a world championship diamond ring, and of course, a world championship Ironman Trophy.

“It’s incredible, a day I never thought would happen, even driving down here,” Black said. “It’s humbling and unreal. You’ve got the best of the best here. I love all the prizes, but I’m most proud of that Ironman trophy.”

Schwemler, who earned his spot by winning the Division 5 Team Finals, beat No. 1 qualifier, Nick Ferraro from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for the Junior Dragster title. Schwemler went down the track in 7.931 seconds at 82.41 mph against a 7.90 dial-in. He was worried that Ferraro, was quicker at the tree with a .060 to .075 reaction time, had beaten him.

With the World Championship, the 17-year-old driver won a custom-built JR Race Car Junior Dragster featuring a custom paint scheme from Imagine That Customs, $3,000 from Summit Racing Equipment as well as the world championship Ironman Trophy and diamond ring.

“It was a long drive down here, but it was definitely worth it. To win a new race car, that’s an awesome prize,” said Schwemler, whose home track is the Grand Bend Motorplex. “That last race, I knew I cut a bad light and I was worrying all the way down the track. When I saw that win light, I was cheering in the car.”